SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Kevin E. West:Well, I… am a GOOFBALL. That’s commonly one of my opening lines when I speak in public. I was born in Phx, Arizona but grew up in very rural Nashville, TN in the late 60s through the mid-80s, long before it is the city it is today. I started my performing career in Atlanta, GA. I played golf in College and High School, have been a six-time participant in the Men’s Senior Baseball World Series starting at the age of 30, play deadly serious Texas Hold-em at Commerce Casino in L.A. and have run the L.A. Marathon, four times.

I also spent my first two years in L.A. as a Stand-up Comic and Improv artist. I’m the Founder of The Actors’ Network, which became the most recognized, trusted, and industry endorsed actor’s business organization in the United States. The Actors’ Network holds consecutive (2006/2007) Backstage West “Reader’s Choice” awards, has been featured on Entertainment Tonight three times, and CNBC twice. It’s many successful alumni include Golden Globe & Emmy Nominee Masi Oka (Heroes), and Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs) of the Golden Globe Award winning cast of Ugly Betty and Maggie Grace (Taken).

As a public speaker on the business of show business I’m widely recognized as the top industry opinion leader and expert on the business education, speaking at Screen Actors Guild, ShowBiz Expo (NYC), UCLA, SAG Conservatory, Chapman University, Cal State Fullerton, and talent conventions across the US from Dallas to Florida and the Writers Guild of America.

Additionally I have Co-Authored the 2-hour CD “The Actor’s Guide to Getting the Job” with LA’s top commercial instructor, Carolyne Barry: www.gettingthejob.com, as well as created the Industry Professional interview series, ActorBizGuru.com which was voted the #1 Online Actor’s Education resource by BackStageWest.com.

Upon the death of a very dear friend, I created and executive produced for 10 years the of the annual Hack n’ Smack, Kerry Daveline Memorial, Celebrity Golf Tournament in Southern California benefiting Melanoma. www.HacknSmack.org. The Hack n’ Smack had celebrity players such as: Joe Pesci, Joe Mantegna, Ron Perlman and Michael Chiklis. The event was voted one of the top 10 celebrity golf events in Southern California by Southland Golf magazine. He has lent his considerable talents as writer, producer, host and director to numerous charitable events including “Together We Can, Together We Will” in the wake of the L.A. riots, and the teen runaway benefit “Runnin’ on Empty” both of which included top Celebrities such as Jason Alexander.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Kevin E. West: Well, I didn’t, as I’d spent my whole life from 7-21 wanting to be a professional athlete. There were several circumstances in my home life which are far too detailed to go into here, which sort of put the writing on the wall, that trying to be a professional athlete (based on the level of time and support you need) probably wasn’t going to happen. Met a guy, some conversations, a few things happened and I decided to attend a class in Nashville at the time which eventually led to me going to a huge event/competition at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York and I WON the 17- over category for Commercials. By the way, I wrote and created the entire commercial, myself. Basically that’s what led to a change in career, the prospect of a game plan, moving to Atlanta for two years and then eventually driving to Los Angeles.

Kevin E. West:My agent, at the time, also represented Mr. Jung… and he referred me.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Kevin E. West:Be it death, religion, the afterlife, Gods, spirits, the underworld or any other form of supernatural power, immortality or other such entity – a very high percentage of humans want to see “something” beyond this mortal coil so it’s pretty natural. Very similar to UFO’s, the movie E.T., or the massive success of Star Wars. It all points to a strong appetite for – what’s next?

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Kevin E. West: Audition only.

SKSM: You worked with Calvin Jung & Fabricio Cerioni on this film, how was that?

Kevin E. West: The experience was, as I would say after all of my years of being on a set, perfectly normal. That encompasses a lot when you consider the number of people, size of budget, type of project etc., but ultimately, an experience being “normal” is a really good thing. Sometimes performers kinda secretly desire for their to be set drama, or contentiousness, or whatever. For me, nope, don’t like it and don’t engage in it. I’m there to work, have it be a nice work – art day, and go home. J

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Kevin E. West: Well, the lead gal was a Yoga instructor, and at that time one of my good friends was a Yogi and I had begun to consider delving into Yoga for my physical health so we had some fun conversations and a few “poor attempts” on my part to get “into a position.” Some of the other actors were like – what the hell are they doing over there?

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Kevin E. West:For a long while I was in communication with Fabricio but sadly not for some time now.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Kevin E. West: Actors of all types n’ levels are typically always busy doing something creative. For me, while I just finished reading for an ABC Show with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington as the stars, I’m also in the middle of writing my 3rd, 4th and 5th books as well as editing/producing a Podcast of a life-story that I have the rights to…and hope to sell / produce as a Studio Feature film. I’m always busy doing something…in the sandbox. J

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Kevin E. West: I am, love the guy, and for 3 ½ years I lived with my sister back in the lat 80s and she was so obsessed with Stephen King she would basically read one of his massive books in two weekends and remain passed out on the couch after finsihing. Pretty hysterical but I couldn’t blame her because he’s a tremendous storyteller.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Kevin E. West:Well, if that question were based either on my pure Resume and/or a brief encounter with me it might surprise a lot of people how sensitive and introspective I am. It’s the basic difference between Personality and Character. When around a small or large group I can have a pretty big personality as a former Stand-up Comic, Improv artist and all around class clown back in High School…but at the end of the day, if you really get to know me, you see a lot more of the quiet, singular, creative Pisces come out who loves to talk Philosophy and Psychology. Yes, I’m the Hollywood Redneck, and a walking contradiction in many many ways.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Kevin E. West: Well, if you’re a performer, I thank you for taking the risk to delve into yourself. If you’re a fan, thank you for watching and caring. Allow either one’s performance or your own performance, carry you into a place (regardless of material) that entertains and/or is a healthy escape.

SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?

Kevin E. West: Well, I always want performers to know about my book on the business of showbusiness after all of these years, and I want the fans out there to know about my other ‘Gift Book’ which is purely for fun and related to life itself. So here they are:

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Danny Houk: Sure, my name is Danny Houk and I’m an actor and comedian in Chicago who’s originally from the DC area.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Danny Houk: Before moving to Chicago (which was 6 years ago) I had no performance experience. Then my first week in the city I saw the improv set at Second City and I remember going “Ohhh, I want to do that.” So I started with improv and then it snowballed in a fun way into more acting and standup.

Danny Houk: I’d auditioned for Stephen and the Angry Mule team for a different project they did called Eyelash (which is a great film if you haven’t checked it out). They decided to go with someone else for that role unfortunately but then I was lucky and had Stephen reach out about A Very Tight Place and ask if I’d like to audition.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Danny Houk: That’s a great question. I mean it’s a story that has it all. Revenge, warring neighbors, porta potty entrapment, what more do you need? I think a lot of folks have used a porta potty (if not you’re not missing out) and I know I’ve always had a moment of fear inside where I think “what if I couldn’t get out of here?” I think this story lets people see that at a safe distance.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Danny Houk: I did have to audition. I filmed a video audition and then came in to do a callback with Joette Waters who plays Ginny in the film.

Danny Houk: Amazing and not just because I got to hang out with his dog on set J. He was great to work with though, Stephen does a really good job of communicating what he’s looking for in the shot which makes my job easy. Plus all the people they had work on this movie were incrediblely kind and funny people. It made for a very fun set. I didn’t think I’d have that much fun being trapped in a porta potty and covered in fake turds, but life surprises you.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Danny Houk: One of my favorite ones was when we were shooting the exteriors which was done in one of the oldest housing projects in Chicago. And Catherine Woods (who is incredibly talented and did all the makeup and effects) was covering me in gunk to prepare for when the audience sees me coming out of the porta potty. I just remember all these people opening their doors and having this “what the hell is going on” look on their faces. Because there I am, standing on a tarp having wet dirt put all over me. That was fun a moment.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Danny Houk: I do! I actually live not far from Stephen and his wife Sara so I’m lucky and get to see them around the neighborhood.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Danny Houk: I just did a guest spot on a political thriller webseries called City in a Jar which I think will come out later this year and we just started filming on a different webseries called Movie Night. Besides that I’m just bouncing around doing standup at different spots around Chicago.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Danny Houk: I am. I tend to read more sci-fi books but I’ve read a few of his short story collections and then others like The Shining and Cujo. I’m in awe of how his brain works in such a delightfully scary way.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Danny Houk: I am terrified of scary movies. I won’t watch them. Ernest Scared Stupid was too much for me. Fun fact though, when you’re in a scary movie it’s not nearly as scary.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Danny Houk:Thank you for interviewing me! I hope that they enjoy the movie and that they think we did right by the book. We tried our best.

SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?

Danny Houk: If you want to follow the film I’d say follow @AngryMule on Facebook and updates will be posted there.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Patrick Abernethy:I’m Patrick Abernethy and I currently work as a video editor for a well known YouTube channel called FGTeeV

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Patrick Abernethy: I started editing videos for my younger brothers 19 years ago, and instantly fell in love with the process. They were filming stunts and such, similar to the show Jackass and CKY videos, and needed my help to turn it into something watchable.

Later I realized that what I was really passionate about was original content that I could direct myself, and I knew I wanted to shoot and direct and write.

SKSM: When did you make Rest Stop? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Patrick Abernethy: We shot it over 3 days in 2014 and the edit was finished in 2015. We raised around $2200 for production costs.

SKSM: How come you picked Rest Stop to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Patrick Abernethy:Our writer/adapter Mike Hill initially chose the story and chose me to direct. He is a HUGE King fan and picked the story somewhat on a whim. He loves all of King’s work so he basically had to just roll the dice to pick which short story to produce, knowing that he’d love it no matter what.

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?

Patrick Abernethy:Mike knew about the dollar baby program through being such a huge fan of Stephen King, so once he knew about the program, he knew he had to pick a story and run with it!

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Patrick Abernethy: We finished up day 3 (which were night scenes) literally minutes before the sun came up. Had the sun came up before we wrapped, I don’t know if the movie could have been completed because we traveled to that location and everyone had places to be that next day. So it was awesome to complete it so close like that!

SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible?

Patrick Abernethy:This is all up to our good pal Mr. King. Festivals are great to get it out there, but a devoted website or something similar to Netflix strictly for Dollar Baby films would be amazing.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Patrick Abernethy: The worst reviews have come from myself and from our writer Mike Hill. Not from a story standpoint or even a production standpoint, but more from a “we could have done this or that better” standpoint, because we are both perfectionists.

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Patrick Abernethy: We have entered it in some, but at this point we currently have no plans to enter it into more. We are currently focusing on original works.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Patrick Abernethy: Before this I had not read much of Mr. King’s works, but I was a huge Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile movie fan. Since then I have come to absolutely love The Stand and Mr. Mercedes, and plan to read much more of his work!

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Patrick Abernethy:Haha, I wish. And I hope one day I find out the answers to these questions as well.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Patrick Abernethy:I’d love to work on the new adaptation of The Stand. I think it’s in production now and can’t wait to see it.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Patrick Abernethy: YouTube, YouTube, and more YouTube. We are kept very busy with work (our writer Mike Hill is a coworker and also great editor) but we have lots of script ideas nearing production.

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Patrick Abernethy: It wasn’t me. They said they caught me on camera, but, it wasn’t me. Shaggy.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Patrick Abernethy: Keep on keepin on. Life’s a garden. Dig it.

SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?

Patrick Abernethy:Get out there and film! Anything and everything, the world wants and needs to see whatever you make!

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Albie Robles: My name is Albie Robles. I’m a professonal voice actor.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a voice actor?

Albie Robles:I’ve always wanted to do it. Every time I’d hear a radio ad or an audiobook I would think about it. When a character in Stephen King’s Rose Madder became an audiobook narrator, it sounded like an amazing thing to do.

However, I didn’t ever consider actually doing it.I akways thought there was no sense in pursuing it. That there was a small, elite handful of people that did it and there was no getting in for anyone else.

The last few years I started getting depressed. I used to act on stage when I was younger. People told me I was great. I loved it. I also play music. Guitar, piano, and harmonica. Sometimes, though, creative people need an outlet, and we want to entertain others. I didn’t have that. I was about to turn 40 last year. Between work and family, I couldn’t take the time to regulary rehearse with a band, or for a play.

I had a discussion about it with my wife. I told her I was becoming depressed. That on top of not having a creative outlet, I was past the point of starting a career in a creative field. I didn’t know how wrong I was, of course. We prayed about it. I needed direction.

Less then two weeks later I answered the phone at work and the person at the other end said, «Whoah, you should be doing voice work!»

The timing couldn’t have been better. As Stephen King wrote in Apt Pupil about finding your great interest, «It was like a key turning in a lock».

I hit the ground running, learning everything I could. Researching. Hohning skills. Acquring equipment. Building a home studio.

Albie Robles: The director, Joseph Horning, and I belong to the same Stephen King group on Facebook. I had seen him post a couple of times about the film. I thought it was very exciting.

When I first started voice acting, I saw another post about it. It occured to me that this might be my chance to be involved with a Dollar Baby film. Something I’d always dreamt of.

I hadn’t had any voice jobs before this, but I mustered up enough courage to contact Joseph directly. I told him I was starting out as a voice actor and asked if he had any need for voiceover. As it turns out, he had been toying with the idea alreay. He had a scene in mind. Apparently the timing was just right.

I almost didn’t contact him. I felt it would be a bother and I would come off as amateurish. He couldn’t have been nicer about it.

That’s how my first voiceover job was on a Stephen King short film. It was also my first IMDB credit. I was very grateful, and incredibly excited!

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Albie Robles: Salem’s Lot has always been one of King’s most beloved novels. One For The Road gives us a peek at what has become of the Lot since the novel took place; the mystery surrounding it, the rumors . . .and the warnings.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Albie Robles: A little of both, since he already had the idea for this scene. I sent a recording of myself doing a radio voice, talking about a snowtorm building up in Maine, advising people to stay off the road.

He liked it and wrote out a script for me. I was very excited to recognize the radio personality’s name. It’s kind of a deep cut, but a few King fans may recognize it.

Albie Robles: He was great. He’s sacrificed so much time and worked very hard. This film is a testament to his dedication and commiment.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Albie Robles: I’m still in touch with Joseph. We message each other from time to time, and I helped him engineer a bit of audio for the film.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Albie Robles: Voiceover is mostly freelance work, so there are always a few projects up in the air. Currently, I’m working on an audiobook for law students. It’s a pretty big project, and I’m really enjoying it.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Albie Robles:A lifelong fan. I’ve read everything of his. Most of it more than once. I’ve seen many of the «Dollar Baby» films based on his work. I hope to get my voice into as many Dollar Babies as possible.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Albie Robles: That thing you’ve always wanted to do….it’s not as out of reach as you think. You just need to start. Don’t be put off by something taking months or years to build. Those years pass whether you’re pursuing your dream or not. When it does, you can be closer to living your dream, or you can still daydream about this thing you’d like to do someday.

SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?

Albie Robles:I have voice demos available on my website, www.albieroblesvoice.com. There are links there to my social media. I’d love to get in touch with fellow King fans!

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Stephen Tramontana: Well, my name is Stephen Tramontana. I’m a Chicago-based filmmaker and comic book writer. For the last four years, I’ve made movies with my partners, Jennifer Kunkel and Paul Summers, under the production company banner Angry Mule Productions. Our most well-known movie is probably Killer Piñata.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Stephen Tramontana: Pretty early on, I would say by 10 or 11 years old. Both with film and comics, I just loved visual storytelling. My high school years happened to hit during the indie film boom of the 90s, and that was just such an incredible time. People like Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez, Tarantino, Spike Lee, etc – it just really opened my world up. And, for the first time, made you believe that you, too, could make a movie!

SKSM: When did you make A Very Tight Place? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Stephen Tramontana: We shot A Very Tight Place last fall, starting in September and wrapping in December. All in, we filmed about six days. At Angry Mule, we don’t really do the traditional 12-14 hour production days. We’re usually about an 8 hour day topside, and we like that kind of schedule. We own our equipment, so it’s really just about finding the right location and time of day, etc. In terms of budget, I think we came in around $2,000. We shot the film on iPhone X’s, using Moment anamorphic lens kits, so that really helped with production costs. Our biggest cost was probably the porta-potty itself, which we purchased brand new and I believe it was around $650. The cool thing was, for Durkin Village, we received permission to shoot in the oldest housing project in Chicago. So it was kind of a nice tip of the hat to another storied Chicago horror story – Candyman. In King’s version, the story takes place in Florida, we moved the setting to Chicago.

SKSM: How come you picked A Very Tight Place to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Stephen Tramontana: I’ve loved it since I read it in 2008. It was just such a bonkers idea – but a very classic idea. It’s very much a Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents kind of story, and that’s basically how we shot it. As if we were given our own episode – I actually wouldn’t be surprised if some anthology show licensed AVTP down the line. Whenever you have a human in a contained situation – kind of a man versus nature and man versus self at the same time, you’ve got all the elements for a great short. And I think this could only work as a short, to try and develop it as a feature would probably be a mistake.

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?

Stephen Tramontana: Ha. Well, I think it was probably the story of Frank Darabont optioning a story as a USC film student. That’s a pretty famous story for film students. I remember hearing about dollar babies way back, but kind of forgot about them. After we did Killer Piñata, we knew that we wanted to spend some time making shorts because we just wanted to get more content out there, tell more stories, improve as filmmakers, etc. And in that process, I was reminded of the dollar baby program and went to his website to see if AVTP was available, which it was! I’m not sure how that list is curated, but it was available. We optioned it, but then our previous short, Eyelash, took longer than expected, by about six months, so we actually had to go back to them and ask for an extension. Originally, they said no. But we showed them Eyelash, and I think, based on that, they extended the option for another year, so they were really cool about that and we were very lucky.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Stephen Tramontana: I think the special moment for me was just watching the final mix, with Paul and Ryan’s amazing score layered in. I’ve never directed an adaptation before. As a screenwriter I’ve adapted Shirley Jackson, but I’ve never made a made a movie based on other material, and this is the only King short I ever wanted to do. So it was like this bucket list moment where I realized, “wow, we really did it. We made AVTP, and it works.” I’m really proud of how this came out. We set out trying to challenge ourselves on this one and I think we succeeded. Paul and Ryan Aldrich, who’s the 4th member of Angry Mule, they just really outdid themselves with the score and sound mix.

SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible?

Stephen Tramontana:So our deal with Mr. King basically says we have the rights to show it in film festivals, but we need to get additional permission to put it on our Vimeo and YouTube accounts, and we’re definitely interested in that. We need to get through festival season first, which will be most of this year, but I’m hopeful we can come to some agreement to get it to Mr. King’s wider fanbase toward the end of this year or early 2020.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Stephen Tramontana: The only review so far has been with a podcast called Talk Nerdy 2 Me. We actually showed them an early cut, because I was going on to discuss Eyelash, Angry Mule, etc. But we thought it was a good time to get some eyes on it, the cut was pretty much finished. Of the three people who viewed it, we got 4/4, 4/4, and 3.5/4, so I’ll take those numbers on an assembly edit. Which basically means the film was 85% done with some final sound and visual effects that needed to be added.

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Stephen Tramontana:We’re kicking off with Windy City Horrorama. It’s a terrific fest in Chicago, we actually debuted our previous short, Eyelash, there last year. The fest organizers, Matt Storc and Alex Vazquez, have such a terrific sense of film. They manage to find these hidden gems of horror, so it’s always an honor to be included in their programming. My guess is, in 3-5 years, Windy City Horrorama will be a destination festival for a lot of filmmakers. It’s that good.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Stephen Tramontana: I am. I haven’t had an opportunity to read his recent stuff, but I was that typical 80’s kid who soaked up Stephen King. True story, my mother read It to me as a bedtime story (she left out the gang bang bit). In terms of favorite books: Firestarter, Cujo, Pet Semetary, Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, and Hearts in Atlantis. I’m also a fan of the Dark Tower series. In terms of adaptations, it would be Pet Semetary (89), The Dead Zone, Christine, It (2017), Cujo, Misery, and The Shawshank Redemption.

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Stephen Tramontana: We did not. We connected a bit with Margaret in his office. When we finished post, I sent Margaret the link to the festival screener, the poster, etc. I imagine he hasn’t seen it yet. This is a very busy time for Stephen King, and I’m sure Dollar Babies get kinda pushed to the bottom of the pile. But I hope he likes, I think we had a very faithful adaptation.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Stephen Tramontana: Not at the moment. We’re hard at work on our next two shorts and we’re still sorting out what 2020 looks like. If I had my dream gig, I would adapt Hearts in Atlantis for Netflix or Amazon. It would be a tremendous 5 or 6 episode limited series.

I also think tackling Blaze as a feature would be fun. That’s just such a terrific pulpy story.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Stephen Tramontana:We’re in preproduction on our next short, Grief Counseling, which we’ll film in May and June. That one kind of has thematic echoes of Pet Semetary, I just realized. Then we’re filming a short after that in September, which will be pretty grisly. If people like gore, then that’ll be the short for them. And then just noodling on another Killer Piñata.

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Stephen Tramontana:I’m not sure I have anything surprising. Two fun facts: I’m related to U.S. President Harry Truman and I once travelled and worked with Bruce Campbell during his screening run of Man With The Screaming Brain, which Bruce co-wrote and directed. For a kid who grew up on Army of Darkness, that was a dream come true.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Stephen Tramontana:My pleasure! Thanks for your interest in the film. All I can say is if you’re a fan of this story, I hope we did well by you. We approached it as fans, and we’re really looking forward to connecting with other King fans as it rolls out this year.

SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?

Stephen Tramontana: If they want to follow the film, please follow us on social media – we’ll be posting regular updates, festival announcements, behind the scenes, etc. @AngryMule on Facebook, @AngryMuleProd on Twitter, and @AngryMule on Instagram

Michael Parle: The director Gerard Lough is a long time friend collaborator & when he said he wanted to adapt a Stephen King short story was delighted.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Michael Parle: Stephen King is a master of is it real or is it not, and think with The Boogeyman he nails that fear which is in all of us when we at home alone at night is there something in the wardrobe or is there something under the bed, but also the real horror of did he do it or did’nt he.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you? / You worked with Gerard Lough on this film, how was that?

Michael Parle: Thought answer these two questions as one as said previously have had the pleasure & honour of working with Gerard & his wonderful co producer/partner Fatima over a long time from our first short the sci fi techno The Scanner https://youtu.be/2TzlF7YuT7c & dark horror DEVIANT up until the present on his fantastic first feature Irish new wave neon techno scifi horror NIGHT PEOPLE https://youtu.be/pfRqr3SiEPE now available on Amazon.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Michael Parle: We filmed the psychiatrists scene in an actual psychiatrists office very surreal &…spooky.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Michael Parle: Out Now the multi award winning action horror, Ireland’s first DEMON HUNTER best martial arts actress fab Niamh Horgan directed by best director/film the great Zoe Kavanagh https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375585/ was honoured to win best actor as FALSTAFF at the legendary prestigious Fright Night Film Festival, Kentucky, USA.

Just finished the exciting surreal scifi fantasy THE GREEN SEA https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7162514/ Starring the wonderful Katherine Issabelle (Ginger Nuts, Hannibal & the hit netflix show The Order) with Ireland’s brightest star Hazel Doupe (Float Like A Butterfly) directed by one of our most exciting distinguished independent writers/directors the great grandson of the great Lord Dunsany & dear friend Randal Plunkett.

And getting my cowboy boots ready for the greatest western of them all VENGEANCE AT YELLOW CREEK https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8110690/ written directed & starring the legendary Ciaron Davies & The Loose Grip Film gang.

SKSM: May you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?

Joshua Brucker: I’m Joshua Brucker, screen writer and director this adaptation of One for the Road.

SKSM: How would you decide that shoot movies was your mission?

Joshua Brucker: I’ve been a fan of horror films since I was a small child. That feeling you feel in your stomach, that fear, it’s very overwhelming but exciting at the same time. I knew one day that I wanted to do that very same thing. I wanted to pass that on and maybe help influence someone else one day as well.

SKSM: Who would be involved into this project?

Joshua Brucker: We’ve gone back to the drawing board numerous times, we’ve had to ask for extensions to the Dollar Baby Contract. It’s not something that must be rushed. At this present moment, we still have Lance Henriksen attached to play an older Booth.

SKSM: Could you tell our readers the status of One for the Road or some updates?

Joshua Brucker:We’re in the process of securing an alternative filming location. We settle early in Minnesota but we’ve decided that it presents a number of issues that would consume too much of our budget. As soon as we settle on a location, we’ll begin scouting particular shooting áreas, then move into recasting a few minor roles and so on.

SKSM: How come you picked One for the Road to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Joshua Brucker: The first Stephen King book I read was Night Shift. I think I bought it at a garage sale for a quarter or something like that. I still have that copy to this day. It’s beaten up but it reminds me of where I come from. One for the Road was the very first story I read from that collection. I feel connected to it, almost called to do it.

SKSM: Did you know that this story has already been filmed as Dollar Baby? Have you seen any of these adaptations? If so, what do you think about it?

Joshua Brucker:I’m aware of the others and I’ve only seen one. I think they did a decent job. We took a different approach to the story that I think separates it from just a copy and paste adaptation.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Joshua Brucker: Big Stephen King fan. As I said before, Night Shift was a masterpiece and it opened the flood gates for me. I was a child of horror from that moment on.

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1?

Joshua Brucker: I was listening to a podcast that reviewed Stephen King novels and they were working their way through Night Shift and of course, they began speaking of the first Dollar Baby deals. That influenced me to do more research.

SKSM: What are you working nowadays?

Joshua Brucker:I’ve got a few projects on my plate right now. We are securing the location for One for the Road, I’m writing a few other scripts that I hold pretty dear, and I’m also in the process of developing another short – this one I’m keeping to myself for some time, I feel it has a lot of potential.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Joshua Brucker:Everyone who knows me knows I’m a massive horror movie nerd. But my all time favorite movie isn’t a horror film, it’s actually The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I’m a sucker for romantic and dramatic themes.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to our readers?

Joshua Brucker: Just follow your passions. I haven’t quite made it to where I want to be, but you’ll never get there unless you try. Do what you love and love what you do. That’s where happiness is.

SKSM: May you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?

Christina Desiere:Hi! My name is Christina and I live in sunny California! I pay my bills by working with children but my passion is acting.

SKSM: How would you decide that shoot movies was your mission?

Christina Desiere: I have been involved with acting for years and I wanted to try directing. I wanted to get experience so I could eventually shoot my own projects.

SKSM:Harvey’s dream is an incomplete Dollar Baby film. What kind of technical problems ran into to complete the short?

Christina Desiere: I think we aimed for higher quality film and didn’t have the budget for it. When I thought I had a final product I showed it to the cast and crew and someone noticed an error in the credits. When we went to fix the error something went wrong with the sound and we were completely out of funding and resources at that point.

SKSM: How come you picked Harvey’s dream to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Christina Desiere:The main reason I picked it was because I thought it would be the easiest story to adapt as a first time film maker. Also, I love the slow build up which ends with quite a punch to the reader/audience.

SKSM: Did you know that this story has already been filmed as Dollar Baby? Have you seen any of these adaptations? If so, what do you think about it?

Christina Desiere: I did know there were quite a few other versions out there but I have not seen any of them.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Christina Desiere: I’m a huge Stephen King fan! My favorite books are It, Carrie, and Gerald’s Game. My favorite adaptation so far is Carrie with Sissy Spacek. She was amazing in that film!

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1?

Christina Desiere: A friend had told me about it. After I looked into it I was inspired to try it.

SKSM: What are you working nowadays?

Christina Desiere: I took a break from acting and directing in order to pursue my Master’s Degree. Now that I have graduated I’m slowly trying to get back into acting.

SKSM: May you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: My name is Ranjeet S. Marwa & I am a film writer & director from Birmingham, England.

SKSM: How would you decide that shoot movies was your mission?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: I came across movies accidentally. My cousin was at college at the time doing his media studies. One of his assignments was to shoot a trailer and he asked me to help him make it. From that day one, I was hooked.

Ranjeet S. Marwa:It was cancelled due to my own busy schedule. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to work on it again but as of right now, it’s not in the pipeline.

SKSM: Who would be involved into this project?

Ranjeet S. Marwa:At the time of development, I had Anthony Illott (Wrong Turn 6) set to star in it. We worked together in getting the script together but ultimately, time and scheduling conflicted with the project.

SKSM: How come you picked All that you love will be carried away to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: From the start of my career, my films and characters have mostly been about isolated and conflicted people. People who believe their purpose is different in life. Thats what I found in this story – the story of isolation, loneliness and abandonment.

SKSM: This could be your 3rd Dollar Baby Film as a filmmaker. Which was your most challenging film? And your most challenging Dollar Baby film?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: My first Dollar Baby, ‘The Man Who Loved Flowers’ was the most challenging for me because at the time, I had never ever adapted anyone else work other than my own. Now however, I find it slightly easier as I try not to see what came before but mainly what inspires me to make the film and what my own interpretation would be.

SKSM: Did you know that this story has already been filmed as Dollar Baby? Have you seen any of these adaptations? If so, what do you think about it?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: I know it has been made many times before. To me that isn’t an issue because its that filmmakers own vision of the story. I have seen maybe one adaptation that was made in 2018. It was incredible to watch. Very well made and structured. Changing the gender of the lead was also a genius idea (spoiler for anyone who hasn’t seen it, sorry).

SKSM: What are you working nowadays?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: I’ve been quite busy over the last year. I made two theatrical films. One played in the UK and the other in LA. A previous film of mine also played in LA last year, too. Three films that I put my heart and soul into all premiered in the same year which was amazing. I’m currently working on a serial killer film with veteran Hollywood actor, Bruce Payne (Passenger 57 / Dungeons & Dragons).

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: I went from being a youtube filmmaker to a TV & Theatrical Film Director.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to our readers?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the Dollar Baby elite members & lets all thank Frank Darabont for paving the way for us all but most importantly, lets all thank Mr. Stephen King for providing us with his stories and imagination.

SKSM: Would you like to add something else to this interview?

Ranjeet S. Marwa: Watch out for my upcoming films this year and 2020. You’ll be amazed at what you see. Thank You.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

James Hinds: My name is Jim Hinds, married for 31 years, 2 great daughters, I am a CEO working for a family energy business.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

James Hinds: I didn’t, but Lisa, my wife wanted to act so I was the chauffeur and basically tagged along. She got a small part, I was there and I was asked if I wanted a part as an extra, “As long as you wear the outfit you wore last night.” (Cowboy hat and barn coat)

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

James Hinds: Our first night there and they were filming at the Mt Hood National Forest. He liked my cow boy look so It was just because I was there. Simon told the staff, the Old Timer, sorry Jim that’s you, is going to be over here. Old Timer? Say what? Lol